Red Quinoa Enchiladas Rojas

This vegan gluten-free, fat-free Mexican recipe uses healthy red quinoa for a protein and fiber-packed enchilada filling. Roja sauce is made from dried ancho chilies, which bring smoky heat to this baked entree. For a milder version, you can cut the amount of dried chilies and use fresh red bell pepper.

ADVANCED Servings: 5 Ready In: 50 minutes

Chef's Tip: Soak the dried Ancho peppers in hot water for a few minutes to soften them. Use a spoon to keep them submerged for this healthy, plant-based spicy Mexican vegan recipe

Chef's Tip for Delicious Enchiladas: Dip the corn tortillas in the Salsa Roja to get plenty of sauce and keep the tortillas moist while they bake. Use this authentic technique for your healthy, quinoa vegan oil-free Mexican enchiladas

Procedure

To make the Ancho Salsa Roja: Heat 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add the dried anchos to the boiled water. Weigh down the chilis with a spoon or a cup to fully submerge them. Set aside for about 20 minutes, while you prepare the enchiladas filling.

To make the enchilada filling: Peel, seed and dice the onion and red bell pepper for the Quinoa filling. Add the diced pepper and onion to a medium pan with the cumin and paprika. Cover and cook over medium heat just until onions start to brown, about 5-7 minutes. When onions and peppers start to stick to the bottom of the pan, you're ready for the quinoa. Add the quinoa to the pepper onion mixture. Stir well and continue cooking over medium heat, just 2-3 minutes, to toast the quinoa. Once quinoa is toasted, you're ready for water. Add the garlic and 1 1/2 cups of water. Cover, bring to a simmer. Cook quinoa about 12 minutes. Quinoa will be ready when it "pops". Remove the lid to cook off any excess moisture. Add salt and set aside until ready to assemble enchiladas.

To finish the Salsa Roja: Peel, seed, and dice the onion and bell pepper for that Ancho Chili Sauce. Heat a wide saute pan over high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and let char 5-7 minutes. Stir onions and peppers and cook until well-charred, about 10-12 minutes. Add water and reduce the heat, if needed, to prevent burning. Remove the dried anchos from the soaking liquid. Remove the stems and scrape out the seeds. Coarsely chop the anchos. Add the anchos to a blender along with the charred onion and pepper. Add the garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, and about 1 cup of water. Puree until smooth. Add more water, if needed, to reach a smooth consistency. Taste to adjust seasoning.

To assemble the enchiladas: Pop your tortillas in the 350F oven for 3-5 minutes, just to soften. Time to assemble the enchiladas: Spread about 1/4 cup of the Ancho Chile Sauce into the bottom of a baking dish or pan. Coat a tortilla in the ancho chili sauce. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the quinoa mixture into a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla. Place the tortilla in the sauced baking dish, seam-side-down. Repeat the process with the remaining tortilla. Enchiladas, snug as bugs. This will make about 10 enchiladas...you might be able to squeeze out 12.Spoon extra Ancho Chili sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Place in the 350F oven and bake 10-15 minutes.

Garnish with chopped cilantro to serve.

Chef's Tips: Dipping the tortillas in the Roja Sauce makes helps keep the tortillas pliable and evenly distributes the flavor. For a quicker version of this recipe, make a big batch of the salsa ahead of time and save for future enchilada dinners.

Crunchy, creamy, spicy, sweet - this salad has it all! Take your typical guacamole recipe and give it a boost with crunchy jicama, sweet corn, and healthy black beans. This oil-free, gluten-free vegan recipe is full of healthy plant-based Mexican flavor. Enjoy this has over chopped lettuce for a new take on taco salad, or serve as a dip for baked tortilla chips

This spicy Mexican sauce uses dried Pasilla peppers, but you can experiment with any dried chilies for different levels of heat, sweetness, and smokiness. Make a batch of this healthy, oil-free, fat-free recipe for unique flavor. This goes great with Easy Black Bean Cakes, Portabella Tacos, or a Quinoa Fiesta Bowl.

Can you tell how hot a jalapeno is just by looking at it? Chef Katie Simmons shares a lesson in botany that is a tip for picking the pepper with the right spice. Recipes and more at: www.plants-rule.com

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Plants-Rule (TM), Copyright 2014 by Katie Simmons. All photos, recipes, videos, and articles are property of Chef Katie Simmons unless otherwise cited. All rights reserved. Please seek the advice of a medical professional before making dietary changes.